Ubiquinol promotes retinal ganglion cell survival and blocks the apoptotic pathway in ischemic retinal degeneration

Journal Article · Sat Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2018 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BBRC.2018.08.016· OSTI ID:23103609

Ju, Won-Kyu; Shim, Myoung Sup ^[1]; Kim, Keun-Young ^[2]; Bu, Jung Hyun; Park, Tae Lim; Ahn, Sangphil; Weinreb, Robert N. ^[1]

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1. Hamilton Glaucoma Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States)
2. National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, Department of Neuroscience, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA (United States)

Highlights: • Ubiquinol treatment promotes RGC survival in the ischemic retina. • Ubiquinol treatment blocks astroglial and microglial activation in the ischemic retina. • Ubiquinol treatment prevents apoptotic cell death by modulating the Bax/Bad/Bcl-xL pathway in the ischemic retina. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ{sub 10}) protects retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in experimental retinal ischemia and glaucoma by scavenging reactive oxygen species. We tested whether a diet supplemented with ubiquinol, the reduced form of CoQ{sub 10}, promotes RGC survival and blocks the apoptotic pathway in ischemic mouse retina induced by acute high intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation. Ubiquinol (1%) treatment significantly promoted RGC survival at 2 weeks after ischemia/reperfusion. The ubiquinol treatment significantly blocked activation of astroglial and microglial cells in the ischemic retina at 2 weeks. While the ubiquinol treatment significantly decreased active Bax protein expression in the ischemic retina, phosphorylation of Bad at serine 112 and Bcl-xL protein expression were preserved in the ubiquinol-treated ischemic retina at 12 h. Consistently, the ubiquinol treatment prevented apoptotic cell death by blocking caspase-3 cleavage. These results suggest that the ubiquinol enhances RGC survival by modulating the Bax/Bad/Bcl-xL-mediated apoptotic pathway in the ischemic retina. Ubiquinol has therapeutic potential for ameliorating elevated IOP-induced ischemic retinal degeneration.

• OSTI ID: 23103609
• Journal Information: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Journal Name: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 503; ISSN BBRCA9; ISSN 0006-291X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ISCHEMIA
MICE
PHOSPHORYLATION
PROTEINS
RETINA
SERINE